Signal tube

Abstract

A tube of plastic or the like having a flexible bellows middle section and straight section ends with identifying indicia of color or shape thereon to represent information about garments contained on clothing hangers. It may have a flared section and a tapered section on opposing ends of the signal tube; the flared section to fit about the shoulders of a hanger and the tapered section to fit snugly about the neck area. The flared section may have locking nibs to help secure the signal tube to the neck of the hanger. Serrations may extend upwardly from the upper straight section to permit a closer fit to the hanger and help prevent the accidental removal of the signal tube.

I claim: 
     
       1. A signal tube for use with a hook-shaped member such as a clothing hanger having an arcuate shaped hook to suspend the hanger from a support, a body adapted to support articles of clothing therefrom, and a neck interconnecting the hook with the body; the signal tube comprising a tube means about 3/4 inch or 18 mm to about 2 inches or 50.8 mm in length, having a central cavity extending the length thereof and adapted to receive and pass therethrough a hook of a hanger, said central cavity having a diameter approximately 3 times that of the neck, the tube means having a relatively stiff unbendable section and an integral continuous flexible bellows section, the latter allowing substantial bending of said tube means to facilitate the passage of said tube means over the hook as the signal tube is installed or removed from the hanger, and means to encode the tube means so that information about the hanger and its contents may be determined by observing said encoded tube means. 
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1 wherein the bellows is medially located in the tube means and the tube means has a straight section on either end thereof. 
     
     
       3. The device of claim 1 wherein the tube means has at least one straight section and the encoding means is secured to said straight section. 
     
     
       4. The device of claim 1 for use with a hanger that has a shoulder between the body and the neck and the tube means has a flared section at an end which approximates the shape of said shoulder to permit a snugness of fit between said flared section and said shoulder and a tapered section at the tube means opposite end which approximates the cross-sectional area of the neck, thereby providing a snugness of fit between said tapered section and said neck. 
     
     
       5. The device of claim 1 wherein the encoding means includes a series of protuberances positioned circumferentially about the tube means. 
     
     
       6. The device of claim 1 in combination with the hanger whereby it gives information as to any garments on the hanger. 
     
     
       7. The device of claim 1 further comprising serrations extending upwardly from the upper end of the tube means. 
     
     
       8. The device of claim 4 further comprising at least one locking nib extending inwardly from a lower end of the flared section, said locking nib being adapted to secure the signal tube to the hanger to hinder accidental removal thereof.